Another Day With My PC

Sprint-Nextel Corporation announced that it will incorporate “Geobrowsing” in its WiMax service. This system will improve location-based services levels ahead from its current state.

Called Xohm, the service boasts a wide variety of location-based features and services that users can avail of no matter what the mobile device they are using. Sprint teamed up with a lot of companies to make this service possible. Sprint will primarily utilize uLocate’s WHERE platform. This will allow communications with other telecommunication groups like Yelp, Topix, Eventful, NAVTEQ and AccuWeather.

Sprint is also hasting its way to come up with a special API for developers that will be used to combine into their own software. These APIs will also be available to all Xohm network users whether they are subscribe thru a mobile phone, laptop or music player.

The only problem that experts see is that the service requires information to pass Sprint’s web portal before it can reach the mobile phones or laptops of users. This implies among many other things, a limitation on the type of applications that developers can create.

Xohm with uLocate’s WHERE platform will be available in Baltimore starting September. Chicago and Washington, DC will have the service very soon.

Source: ArsTechnica

Nikon unveiled a new digital SLR camera that is said to be the first digital single-lens reflex camera that can be used to shoot high-definition video clips.

The new camera, labeled as Nikon D90 sports 12.3-megapixel lens that has the Nikon’s Expeed, an image processing technology that enhances the captured digital images.

The new camera carries the D-movie function, a video recording mode that allows users to created HD movie clips with sound from the D90. Nikon D90 can capture videos with 1280-by-720, 320-by-216 or 640-by-424 resolutions. It can record videos with speed of 24 fps. Any compatible lens can be used in video mode.

The D90 also sports the face detection technology. There is also a Live View mode for seeing images without the need to peek through the viewfinder. It also has an 11-point digital autofocus system.

This high-tech camera will go on sale this September. The standard package will cost $1,000. Upgraded version that carries the AF-S DX Zoom- Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-/56G ED VR lens will cost an increase of $300.

Source: MacWorld

While faster PCs are not just about multi-core processors or RAMs the size of which rivals that of hard drives, there is no question that hardware specs are crucial in bringing out the cheetah in your system. Indeed, no matter how streamlined your programs or internal processes are, they won’t function in satisfactory speeds if the components that are running them lack stamina.

It’s already a rule of thumb that you shouldn’t scrimp on money when it comes to your PC’s processor and memory. Doing so would eventually make you feel that you bought an old unit. However, if you’re really on a very tight budget, then the hardware that you could be thrifty on is the processor. You cannot cut down on RAM. Your quad-core CPU would perform like a Celeron if it doesn’t have enough memory to carry out instructions or algorithms.

Of course, a multi-core PC that flaunts 10GB of memory would look like it’s running on old Cyrix chips if it’s laden with malware. You’ll be very surprised at how 500-KB applications could slow down monster PCs. Hence, you shouldn’t also sew your wallet when it comes to antivirus and registry cleaner programs. Believe me, you’ll eventually wish that you should’ve spent more when your PC drags you down with disappointing performance due to malware infection or hardware deficiencies.

Nokia unmasked two new advanced mobile phones. Named the N79 and N85, these two phones are predicted to top mobile phone wish lists, specially this coming Christmas.

The new phones will be available to buyers this October. N79 and N85 both sport a 5-megapixel camera. The units are a mere advancement of their predecessors. The unit will also come with pre-loaded games.

The N79 phone also sports an N-Gage gaming platform, a 3.5mm jack, stereo speakers, stereo Bluetooth, FM transmitter and radio. It has a Symbian S60 processor that sports a clear 2.4-inch display. It can show up to 16 million colors.

The N85 unit on the other hand is a two-way slider. Each model reveals either a numeric keypad or music shortcuts. Like the N79, it is a Symbian S60 smartphone with 2.6” OLED display. It also sports an N-Gage gaming platform. It has 3.5mm jack, stereo Bluetooth, stereo speakers, FM transmitter and radio.

These new phones are Nokia’s answers to the fast growing popularity of new smart phones coming from Apple and Samsung.

Nokia currently controls 40 percent of the total global cell phone market. Its shares immediately increased 2 percent following the unveiling of these new smart phones. Analysts agree that the unveiling of the two phones is a good business move.

Nokia will also release its first touch screen phone, codenamed “Tube”, later this year.

The N85 will be priced at $662 while the N79 will go for $512.

Source: Reuters

SecuTech Solutions introduced a driverless software protection HID that promises to keep your USB storage safe. The UniKey Software Protection USB Key sports superb data encryption allowing you to keep data, files and even USB-based applications secured.

UniKey is a driverless dongle and is therefore easy to install and use. Your computer’s operating system will install the software automatically. Data is encrypted and stored with basic memory of up to 4K, and this is done with a CRC checked system.

Another amazing feature of the UniKey is its APIs. Users can choose UniKey APIs even they are totally clueless about programming. The software’s console dubbed as UniKey Consol can provide users with efficient management solutions.

Breaching UniKey’s wall of security may be very difficult. This is because of the UniKey copy protection dongle and application is encrypted with a noise. The protection dongle used a special security algorithm based on a 128-bits encryption.

The dongle works on all major operating systems such as the Windows Operating Systems, Linux and Mac OS X.

The company currently offers a free evaluation kit. One can avail this by simply going to esecutech.com. The company did not announce the retail price of UniKey, but it claimed that they are 50% cheaper compared to their competitors.

Source: TheOpenPress

Believe it or not, the number of people that are starting to think that malware attacks are loosing steam is growing. Many cite the fact that the incidence of hard drive wipe outs are diving to their lowest levels since the PC became a common household appliance.

While it is true that data wipe outs are not that rampant anymore, this doesn’t mean that malware infection is going down, too. Gone are the days when all hackers do is try to wreak havoc to your system by offering to reformat or clean your storage device for free. Aside from the fact that it isn’t fun to make somebody’s life miserable anymore, such deed also nets zero profit.

What hackers are trying to do right now is to get data rather than eradicate them. Indeed, information-gathering is a very profitable undertaking, especially if such data involves sensitive ones, such as bank account or credit card numbers.

So don’t be deceived by the seeming lack of hard drive wipe outs during the past few years. The danger hasn’t passed, and we’re not experiencing the calm before the storm either. The calm is the storm! The malware of old is very different from the ones that are trying to get into our PC at present. The unwanted applications that we’re fending off right now work discreetly, looking for data that could turn zeroes and ones to $1s with 0s.

One of the pioneer makers of smartphones is sweating its hands out to make its new Treo Pro mobile phone the new talk of the town.

The Tree Pro is an overhaul of the Palm smartphones released years ago. It now comes with Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 software for easier communicability within the network.

Contrary to what others might believe, the Treo Pro will not compete with Apple’s iPhone. According to Palm execs, the unit is targeting people who want to go with the conventional QWERTY keyboard.

But the road to success is still not in the horizon of the new phone. As of this writing, AT&T and T-Mobile is yet to show enthusiasm over the smartphone. T-Mobile and AT&T currently sells high-end phones from Apple, RIM, Samsung and other manufacturers. For the meantime, Palm will sell its unit on its very own website. The company is happy however that Europe is welcoming the new product.

Despite not so good reviews over the internet, there are still of course people who show interest over the smartphone. It is an already unlocked phone straight from the source, and although it have the same specifications most modern smartphones has, experts still see that its tag price is powerfully enticing.

The new Treo Pro is currently tagged at $549.

Source: BusinessWeek

Intel Corp. revealed the microarchitecture, a blueprint for its chip that the corporation as well as some analysts consider as the killer of its smaller rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

Many experts see the unveiling of the microarchitecture as an indication that Intel is indeed very well ahead of AMD. Intel regularly exposes new and advanced chip design every two years, analysts see this as the reason AMD’s stock price depreciated by 5 percent in technology shares. AMD’s losses amounted to $5 billion in the past 18 months.

Apart from the new blueprint, Intel has also plans of creating what it calls an integrated memory controller. This controller shall move information between the microprocessor and the computer straight into the processor itself – beaker information transferring speed records.

Experts see this as a great development as new and modern workstations need more speed; therefore any increase in communication speed is most welcomed.

According to Intel, their new structure will triple the speed at which data can be written to memory or read back. Dubbed as Nehalem, this would also double the 3-D rendering capabilities of previous chips, taking more advantage of the Intel’s core processor technology.

Intel will finish production of the four-core Nehalem chips by the end of 2008.

Source: AP Google

How many times have Windows crashed on you? I bet it’s twice the digits of your favorite basketball player’s jersey number. While Microsoft futilely denies it, their operating systems are prone to seizures, leaving the user helpless and dumbfounded during attacks or glitches.

However, to its credit, Redmond is continuously trying to avoid painting your screen blue whenever its OS stumbles upon something that makes it cough. Patches are regularly issued, while malicious software removal tools are being shipped with the updates.

What Microsoft isn’t directly addressing, though, is its operating system’s inability to flush out the remains of outdated or deleted programs in the registry. The program’s ineptness to deal with the problem has caused it to sometimes carry bricks when the actual load should only be pebbles.

This is the reason why RegCure is essential. It fills in the holes left open by Microsoft. The fact that the registry is a very vital organ in your system makes a registry cleaner indispensable. With RegCure installed, you could ensure that the featured cartoon in this post remains funny.

Sony’s Playstation Portable can soon be used as a telephone. This is the main capability of Sony’s new PSP-300, the third major version of the celebrated gaming platform.The new PSP will sport a built-in microphone and new screen that has more color options. This enables the PSP to be a friendlier outside gaming companion.

The built-in microphone will make PSP even a better telephone. The gadget has long been Skype compatible. David Reeves president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe said that this only proves PSP’s capability to be a fully working communication device.

On the other hand, Sony also announced that it will launch the 160 gigabyte hard drive version of its Playstation 3 for a price of 499 euros. An 80 gigabyte version is also available for 399 euros.

Soon, music videos streamed over the internet will be available to PS3 users worldwide. A special music and video download service patterned to the U.S system will be available in Europe by next year.

The new PSP will be sold for $294.

Source: Yahoo News